Big McIntosh stared at the mirror in the bathroom, sweating waterfalls with the mere thought of his latest idea. He swallowed an abnormally large lump in his throat, wiping his brow. “Sugar Belle… Will you…?” He looked away with a scoff. “Aww, I just don't know, dangit!” He pulled a tiny box from under his yoke, eyeing it carefully. “How can I say it to ‘er face if I don't even know how to say it?”
“Say what?” Asked a smarm that the farmer would recognize anywhere. Big Mac looked around, finding the snakelike form of Discord standing on the ceiling. “Did you have something planned for tonight?” He put his claws on his hips, leaning towards the stallion. “Nothing that would get in the way of the plans we already had, right?”
Big Mac jumped, quickly stowing the box away and smiling up at the Draconequus. “Nnope!”
“Wonderful.” Discord walked toward the wall, changing angles to keep walking until he stopped in front of the equine on the floor. “Then I assume you're ready?” He brought his claws together next to his head, creating a flash that put him in a fancy outfit with a bow and arrow, with long blonde hair replacing his mane, endlessly flowing in non-existent wind. “I’ve been looking forward to a good O&O session all week!” He extended his lion paw out to the work horse. “So, are you ready for a rousing Guy’s Night?”
A wide grin spread out on Big Mac’s face. “Eeyup!” He placed his hoof in the paw, appearing in rugged black armor with a horned helmet that somehow had a Unicorn horn protruding out of it. On his side sat a large sword, and his muzzle had somehow grown the beginnings of a beard. With a mutual laugh, the two disappeared in a white flash.
An explosion of color filled the battlefield, sending paper cutouts of skeletal pony minions flying in all directions. From the smoke, more of them emerged with an audible screech. Before the advance could begin, an arrow pierced through one, with a fireball engulfing another three. With more advancing from the smoke, a thunderous gallop met them in kind. With a broad sweep of his orange-glowing sword, Sir McBig'un sliced through ten of them, while a black and orange blur flew past ten more.
“Aaaaaaand…” Boltsinger started, tossing a dagger into the air. He held up his wing, counting down from three. As his last feather curled up, the dagger landed in its sheath on his side, and the minions exploded into powder. “There!” He let out a chortle, cantering up to the gallant knight. The two of them began what seemed like a dance around the fray. Big Mac would take a swing, then Boltsinger would throw a series of knives, leading to another sweep of the red stallion's blade. On either side of the two, bottles of bubbling liquid hit the ground with more explosions of wild color as arrows and fireballs landed in the aftermath.
After what felt like forever, the two black-clad stallions stood amidst a pile of arrows and fallen foes. They took rapid breaths, trying their hardest go catch that elusive second wind as their companions joined them. Spike sported a wizardry green hat and white beard, with a green cloak, black boots and belt, while carrying a gnarled staff that was twice as tall as he was and carried a gem in what looked like fingers. Discord sported his green tunic, brown bracers and boots, and flowing blonde hair. Finally, Sunburst stepped up to the group, wearing a pair of corrective goggles in place of his glasses and a fiery red cloak. Under the cloak, he wore a sash that hung several bomb-shaped bottle full of liquid, and he carried an elaborate-looking box behind him. They party jumped into the air, bumping hooves and slapping claws with a cheer. Upon landing, Discord readied his bow again. “All right, boys, are you ready for the next wave?”
“Oh yeah!” Spike confirmed, pumping his fist.
“You know I'm ready!” Sunburst stated.
Boltsinger made a thumbs-up gesture with his wing. “Bring it on, Captain Wuz!”
There was a moment of silence as the group looked toward their least talkative member. He was looking over at a pink dice in the distance, breathing a forlorn sigh. “Big Mac?” Spike led as he waved a claw in front of the Apple’s eyes. “Hey! Big Mac!” The armored stallion recoiled, catching the dragon’s concerned face looking up at him. “Hey! You ready to keep going?”
“Ummmm…” He looked around at the party, prepping himself for the battle ahead. That is, until he landed on Boltsinger. “Nnope.” He finally said. He stepped closer to the Pegasus, taking off his helmet, Unicorn horn and all. “Bolt, d'you mind if I ask ya sumthin’?”
Boltsinger pulled down the hood of his cloak. “Of course. What do you need?”
After a moment of internal panic, Big Mac inhaled to the full capacity of his lungs. “There’s sumthin’ I need to say, but I don’t know what ta say or how I should say it or what ta do or how ta do it an’ yer the only friend I got besides Mr. Cake that’s done this kinda thing before so I just need yer help and I need it real bad!”
Boltsinger took a moment to process what he’d just heard, giving little more than a confused blink. “Wow… You are definitely Apple Bloom’s brother.” He put his hoof on his friend’s shoulder, looking him squarely in the eye. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but… Big Mac, you need to talk slower. Got it?”
Big Mac nodded firmly. “Eeyup.”
“Okay, then.” He returned his hoof to the floor. “Are you feeling alright?”
“Nnope.”
“Does it have something to do with O&O? Is that why you aren’t able to keep going?”
“Nnope.”
“So there’s something else, and you need my help with it?”
Big Mac gave an instantaneous nod, straightening his posture. “Eeyup.”
“Am I the only one you can ask?”
The farmer’s face grew determined. “Yup.”
“Does this have to do with the farm?”
“Nnope.”
“Does it have to do with the family?”
Big Mac cocked his head to the side, considering his answer for a moment. “Eeeeee… yup!”
The rightmost corner of Boltsinger’s mouth turned up. “I take it we’re not talking about your sisters or Granny Smith, are we?”
The beginnings of a laugh made its way out of the green-eyed equine. “Nnope!”
“So we’re talking about Sugar Belle, huh?”
The laugh went from its beginnings to the dopiest sound the party could imagine, leading almost perfectly into an “Eeyup!”, devolving into further laughter.
“And you wanna say…” Boltsinger’s eyes widened considerably, turning his smirk to a smile. “Wait. You wanna ask her something, don’t you?”
Big Mac’s face turned as pink as the pony on his mind, scratching his cheek and averting his eyes. “Eeyup.”
“Oh my gosh…” The Pegasus turned to Discord. “I think we’re done with Guy’s Night for now.”
Discord recoiled, raising his talon to make ready to snap. “Are you sure? We’ve only been at it for a little while!”
“I'm sure.” Boltsinger affirmed. “This is way more important!”
Discord groaned in frustration, snapping his talon to return the throne room to normal. “Fine! I have to go to bed, anyway.” He turned away from the group, crossing his arms in a huff. “I have tea with Fluttershy tomorrow!” He looked back at them for a moment, lingering on the now yoke-clad Earth Pony.
“Okay… Okay okay okay…” Boltsinger locked his purple eyes on the farm stallion's green ones, finally bringing forth the idea he had put together. “Big McIntosh… Do you mean to ask Sugar Belle the same question I asked Twilight?”
Finally, Big Mac showed them all a confident smile with a stance to match. “Eeyup!”
“Wait, WHAT?!” Spike exclaimed. He scrambled over to his oldest ‘guy friend’, looking up at him curiously. “You mean you're gonna… you know… Pop the question?”
“Eeyup!”
Sunburst adjusted his glasses, making his own approach. “But… You haven't figured out how to do it, have you?”
Big Mac sank to the floor like a deflated balloon. “Nnope…”
“Well, that's what he has friends for, isn't it?” Boltsonger said, motioning to the adventuring party. “I was gonna take tomorrow to make some preparations for a trip I've got planned, but… That can wait! You can count me in!”
“Me, too!” Spike declared, spreading his wings and pointing his thumb at himself.
“I'm not sure how much help I'd be, but I'd like to try.” Sunburst added, wiping his glasses after a white flash went off behind him.
Boltsinger placed his hoof on the Apple's shoulder, giving him a confident smile. “You see, Big Mac? We're all here for you! Right, Discord?” He looked to their remaining party member, who was notably… “... Discord?” … Absent.
The next day, Discord sat with Fluttershy in her living room, each of them holding a cup and saucer over an elaborately-designed teapot. “And then Pinkie Pie pulled out her party cannon along with six or seven more! Or at least, that’s where I lost count. And then, when everyone fired them, all of the animals’ favorite foods came out!”
Discord chortled, looking at his favorite pony's smiling face. “Well it certainly sounds like it was an invigorating class!” He took a sip from his cup, leaning closer to the mare. “If you ever want another guest, say the word and I'll be happy to help!”
Fluttershy’s smile grew ever-wider. “Why, thank you! I think the students would enjoy having you in for a lesson!” She placed her cup on the table, getting ready to pour another cup as an idea worked its way into her head. “Oh! How about we get you and all of the other boys together to show the students that little Ogre game of yours? You know, the one you all were playing last night?”
“Oh, yes. Ogres & Oubliettes…” He affirmed, waving a dismissive paw. “I’m not sure how willing they’d be to play, right now. Bolt said something ‘more important’ came up.”
“I understand.” She said, reaching once more for the pot. “I’m sure he’s worried about Sparks after what happened.”
“No, not that.” He corrected. “Something about helping Big Mac. I believe there was something involving ‘popping questions’ or some such thing. Wanted me to go along with them today, but I had a prior engagement.”
“Oh! Big McIntosh is going to pop the question? That’s nice.” She began pouring refills for them, considering the words that had just come out of her mouth. Her pupils turned to pinpricks as the facts dawned on her, causing her grip to loosen to the point where, if she wasn’t holding it so close to the table, she would have dropped the teapot entirely. “Oh my goodness! Big Mac is going to pop the question?! Oh… And he’s so bashful, too. I bet he asked for help. Are you going to help them?”
Discord shrugged, materializing a napkin and wiping his mouth. “Why would they need my help? It’s not like this is some big, life-changing event!”
“Don’t you understand, Discord?” She began, putting her hooves to her face. “It means Big McIntosh is going to ask Sugar Belle to marry him!”
The Draconequus crossed his arms, leaning back comfortably in his seat. “All the better for me to stay out of it! Knowing him, he’s going to fumble the whole thing, but because of friendship and understanding and love…” Me made a mock vomiting motion at the last of the reasons. “... everything is going to turn out peachy and it’ll be a happy memory for everypony! And you want me to rob him of that when I could be here, drinking tea? I wouldn’t do that kind of thing to him!”
“But it would be a much happier memory if you were a part of it!” She stressed, moving to sit next to him. She put her hoof on his arm, smiling warmly at him. “Go. Help them. It’s much bigger than a silly little tea party, after all.”
Part of Discord seemed to deflate at the word ‘silly’, making his arms and horns droop. “Silly? I never thought it was ‘silly’.
“And I appreciate that.“ Fluttershy affirmed, patting his arm. “But I think they need you more than I do right now.”
Discord leaned forward, slowly standing up. “Well… If you insist…” He looked back at her smiling face. “You’re sure?”
“Absolutely.”
“All right…” He plodded over to the door, slowly opening it up. “Off I go.” He stepped outside, closing the door with as long of a creak as was possible for the hinges, only to disappear in a white flash when only a crack remained.
The telltale flash of Discord's magic lit up the barn at Sweet Apple Acres, where Boltsinger, Spike, Sunburst, and Big Mac sat around a table that was filled with papers. The notes sprawled through all sorts of ideas for how Big Mac might go about asking his all-important question. The Draconequus gave one flap of his wings, snaking himself around the rafters above them. He hung his head down, turning his ears toward them as Boltsinger cleared his throat. “Okay, so we’re agreed?” His companions at the table nodded in affirmation. Boltsinger lightly stomped one hoof on the table. Pointing his wing at a particular paper that featured a scribbled out musical note. “No musical numbers!”
“Eeyup!” Big Mac confidently confirmed.
Spke scratched his head, looking at the drawing with a measure of confusion. “Wait a sec. Tell me again why you, Boltsinger, don’t wanna do a song.”
Boltsinger rolled his eyes, directing the dragon's attention to Big Mac. “Because if I learned anything about dealings between Big Mac and Sugar Belle, it's that a song is not the best way to appeal to her.”
“Well, if you wanted to ‘a-peel’ to her, why didn't you just say so?” Discord asked, drawing their gaze up to him. He grinned down, snapping his claws to turn the red stallion a shade of orange, with the peel of the fruit in question surrounding his body. “There, all the a-peel you could ask for!” The group below remained silent, several of them maintaining a flat expression. “Well? I just solved your problem! Orange you going to thank me?”
Boltsinger let out a loud laugh, walking over to Big Mac and pulling the stem out of the peel. The orange around the farmer deflated like a balloon, leaving the normal red stallion laughing at the whole thing. “Thanks for coming, Discord. We can sure use the help!” He returned his attention to the the friend they had come to assist. “So, my number one piece of advice is to keep things simple--”
“But didn't you propose with a scavenger hunt?” Sunburst inquired, raising a quill and parchment.
Boltsinger froze for a moment, then raised a poignant hoof to the Unicorn. “That’s because Twilight like scavenger hunts.”
Spike raised his claw in reply. “And aren’t you always doing big elaborate performances?”
“Yeah, but that's my thing--”
“That you always get everypony in on all the time?” Discord interjected.
The Pegasus brought his wing rather forcefully to his forehead. “Yes, but--”
“Then it's settled!” The Draconequus declared, slithering down to the gathering. “If we're going to do this, then we might as well do it with a big bang!” He clapped his claws, creating an absurdly loud banging sound that blew the ponies’ manes back. “So what do you say? Shall we begin?” Spike, Sunburst, and Big Mac each raised a forelimb, letting out a response of their agreement. “Good!” Discord touched his fingers together, taking a seat as his most sinister smirk appeared on his face. “So, my first suggestion is--”
“Let me stop you there, Discord.” Spike stated, pulling on Discord’s beard and making it retract like a window blind, rolling his mouth up into his face. “We’re not gonna write the proposal on the side of a sea monster and redirect the river to flow through Ponyville so that the sea monster can swim by and Sugar Belle can read it.”
Discord pulled his beard to the point where his face was back to normal. “Well, that’s not at all what I had in mind.” He tapped his chin with his talon, perking up at the idea. “It’s actually better! And I know Steven would be over the moon at the idea!”
“Discord…” The dragon stressed, putting his claws on his hips.
The chaos spirit slumped over, hanging his head over the other notes. “Oh, fine. We’ll do something else…”
As the group began to deliberate, Boltsinger found himself sitting off to the side, rolling his eyes with a frustrated groan. “Eeyup… It’s not like I have experience in this or anything...”
After a hard deliberation, the party stood out behind Sugar Cube Corner, looking up to a solitary window. Big Mac sweated bullets, looking between his friends with a face that screamed nerves. Boltsinger gave him a reassuring smile, putting his hoof on his shoulder. “It’s okay, Big Mac. You can do this. We’ll all be here, and I’m gonna be feeding you your lines from up there.” He pointed his wing up at a conveniently placed cloud directly above them with a hole directly in the middle. “And our fellow adventurers are here to set the scene.” He patted the farmer’s back, taking wing to settle on the cloud. “You've got this!”
From the bush behind Big Mac, Spike sat with Sunburst. They looked on with vested interest while the Unicorn magically lifted a notepad and quill. “Oh, this is going to be so exciting!” Sunburst said, touching his quill to the page. “I've only ever seen this method done in books before, so seeing it actually applied in a real life scenario is sure to be a real learning experience!”
Spike tilted his head, looking to Sunburst intriguedly. “What kind of book didja pull this from?”
“It's from a book called Proboscis Blue!” He started, yet more excitement billowing from his ears. “The titular stallion and his best friend both have feelings for the same mare. Proboscis is a pony with an almost magical way with words, but has a deformity in his muzzle that makes him ugly by society's standards. So, wanting to see the mare happy, he hides in the bushes while his friend speaks directly, all the while, feeding him what lines to say from afar!”
Discord snickered, lowering his head next to Sunburst. “And I suppose Bolt is our Proboscis?” His snicker turned sinister as he flew up to the cloud upon which Boltsinger sat. He arched himself over the stallion, poking him ever-so-gently on his snout. As his claw pulled away, Boltsinger's nose extended outward, appearing like a horn that hung just above his mouth. “There! It’s perfect!”
Boltsinger reared back with a whinny at the sight of his schnoz, turning to glare at the amalgamation. “What the heck are you doin--” He breathed a loud gasp, grasping at his nose with his wings. His voice had turned nasally, as if he were speaking through the nose that now protruded outward to hook up and hang its tip just above his mouth.
“I just wanted to make sure you look the part, Proboscis!” Discord teased, flicking the nose in question.
“Well, change it back!” He demanded. “I need my normal voice to--” A creaking window sent a jolt down his spine. He looked through the hole in the cloud, finding Sugar Belle leaning out over the windowsill. “Too late! Get in position!”
Down below, Big Mac looked up to the mare that owned his heart, swallowing a lump in his throat. There was a flash in the air above him, followed by a sunbeam coming down above his head to bathe him in its light. He shook his head free of his nerves, bringing his hoof up and clearing his throat.
“Hm?” Sugar Belle looked down to see her special somepony, smiling at the mere sight of him. ”Oh! Hi, Big Mac!” She waved gingerly at him, showing him a flutter of her eyelashes. “What brings you over here?”
A light gust was sent from above, leaving a pocket of air next to the Apple’s ear. Big Mac flipped his mane just enough to pop the pocket and listen. He cocked an eyebrow, looking up for a moment before turning his attention to her. “Sugar Belle, I need ta talk with you ‘bout sumthin’ imported.”
“Imported?” She repeated. After a moment of thought, her face brightened up. “Did you get some new baking supplies?”
“Uh… I dunno.” He looked up at the cloud. “Did I?” A pocket of air descended, hitting the back of his yoke and popping itself. “Important! Sumthin’ important!” With another pop, he cleared his throat. “I wanna talk to you about… today?” His ear twitched a few times, as if he was trying to make sense of what he’d just heard. “Abort?” He glowered up at the cloud, rolling his eyes and returning his attention to his sweetheart.
Sugar Belle tilted her head in confusion. “I’m not sure I understand... Are you okay?”
“Um… Eeyup.” He half-heartedly confirmed. “How ‘bout you ‘n me spend the day together? Just you ‘n me?”
“Well… I’ll have to ask Pinkie if she can cover my shift…” She brought her hoof to her chin as she contemplated. Letting her eyes drift towards her favorite stallion, her face began to flush. His face was almost all grin with his eyes sparkling like a foal’s, and he was leaning forward to the point where he nearly fell forward. She kept her stare going for a few moments, finally giving way to laughter. “Okay, let’s do it!” She slowly backed away from the window, waving a coy hoof. “See you soon!”
When the window finally shut, Spike sprang from the bushes and ran to Big Mac. “Nice save, Big Mac!”
Sunburst followed the dragon’s lead, emerging from the bush while scribbling down some notes. “So, that certainly didn’t go as planned.” He let out a small laugh, looking up at the cloud. “But I did learn not to give Discord ideas.” He looked up from his notes to see Discord landing alongside Boltsinger, whose nose had at last been returned to normal. “So, what next?”
An hour later, Big Mac and Sugar Belle walked through Ponyville plaza. The stallion had a nervous smile on his face, while the mare’s was more genuine as she leaned against the green-eyed equine. His mind was racing as he looked around the town, thinking first of where his friends might be. They had assured him that they would enact another plan soon. All he had to do was have the ring ready when the time came. For the moment, he simply walked with her, letting his heart race faster than the Wonderbolts Derby.
“So, what did you have in mind to do today?” She asked. Yanked out of his thoughts, Big Mac jumped, creating a small tremor upon his landing.
“Well, uh…” He started, mentally sifting through every idea in his mind. “I was thinkin’... Maybe…” His eyes drifted over to the park, where he could’ve sworn he saw a streak of orange and blue darting into one of the trees.
“Do you want to go to the park?” The mare guessed, leaning forward to look up at him.
His face began to flush a little as his head went into a little nod. “Eeyup.”
The pair trotted toward the park at a leisurely pace, each thinking on what was to happen next. And with an idea on that, Sugar Belle took her turn to jump. “Oh! We could have a picnic!” She hopped in front of him, facing him completely with her face alight. “We can have all sorts of tasty things! I’m gonna go make a lunch for us! Can you pick out a spot?”
“Eeyup!” He confirmed, standing tall. Sugar Belle gave off an excited giggle, rushing back to the more market-heavy places in town. When she was out of sight, he galloped to a clearing, plopping his rump down like it belonged to him.
“Finally!” An exasperated Discord said as he appeared next to the farmer. “I thought we were going to have to do this whole thing incognito!”
The Draconequus was quickly joined by the remainder of the party, with Boltsinger plucking a leaf out of his mane as he made his approach. “Okay, so this gives us a little time to plan our next move.”
“What do you think we should do, then?” Sunburst wondered, retrieving his notes and looking them over. “Guided confessions didn’t go so well. How exactly do you plan to word it this time?”
Big Mac recoiled. He hadn’t thought of that. Without somepony to help him figure out just what to say, he found himself at a loss. He opened his mouth to relay the thought, but found Spike’s claw patting his foreleg. “Relax! I’ve got this covered!” He splayed his wings proudly, moving his arms in a similar manner. “If I use these babies, I can write a proposal in the sky, no problem!”
“And how, exactly, would you write it?” Discord inquired, pinching the dragon’s wings. “You may be able to fly, but you’re certainly no cloudsmith, now are you?”
Spike slapped the wrists of the arms that held his wings, turning to the chaos spirit with a puff of smoke erupting from his mouth. “Just like this!” The smoke reached Discord’s nostrils, sending his head reeling back in a coughing fit. “Leave everything to me!”
Boltsinger cocked an eyebrow at the young reptile. “Everything? This coming from the one who knocks over at least one vase a week when he decides to fly through the castle?”
Spike’s wings snapped shut at the statement. “Well... at least it’s only once a week! I’ve really gotten better since my wings showed up!”
“Okay, but how will you know where to fly with smoke in your face?” The bluenette continued, leaning forward.
“Actually, I might be able to help with that.” Sunburst announced, putting his notes aside and lighting his horn. “I’ve been working on something to use when Starlight and I have our baby. Something to help keep them occupied.” A light yellow orb of magic appeared in the middle of the group, moving around in a rapid figure-eight pattern. “It’s a simple spell, but so far it’s proven effective.”
“Nova certainly likes it.” Boltsinger affirmed. He took a deep breath, steppng back and facing Spike once more. “Okay, I think we can work with this. Just watch those sharp turns. And I’ll make sure nothing gets in either of your way. Okay?”
Sunburst and Spike gave a simultaneous salute. “Okay!”
“Okay, then, guys, take your places!” Boltsinger declared. Spike pumped his fist, taking to the air while Sunburst sat on a nearby bench. Boltsinger approached the Unicorn one more time, sitting next to him. “So, Twilight and I have been working with Spike on his flying for a while, now, and he's still having a bit of… well.. trouble where sharp turns are involved. Could you maybe guide him so that he doesn't have to make many of those?”
“I think I can handle that.” He affirmed. With one bump of the hooves, the Pegasus took off.
For a time longer, they waited. Before much of it had passed, Sugar Belle trotted back toward the park with a full picnic basket floating above her. She sat herself down beside her boyfriend, quickly laying out the blanket and opening the basket. “So, we have lettuce and lily sandwiches, some apple juice, and a pear cake that Mrs. Cake taught me a while back!” With each announcement, she placed the item in question on the blanket, much to Big McIntosh’s delight. “What do you think? Do you like it?”
The salivating stallion licked his lips with a hearty nod. “Eeyup!” They each picked up one of the many sandwiches, starting to feed each other in such a way that made the spying Draconequus make a gagging motion with how sweet it was. Sunburst noted the distraction that was the meal, taking the chance to light his horn and activate his spell. The ball of magic appeared before Spike in an instant, prompting him to begin flapping his wings and rising to the air. The ball led the smoke-breathing dragon through a fairly simple routine, filled with wide, sweeping turns with a few challenging sharp turns added in. While the writers did their thing, the performer periodically peered into the distance. For the most part, there wasn't anything or anypony that looked like it might get in their way.
"That's good, little ones. It's not far, now."
Boltsinger’s ear twitched in excess at the soft voice on the wind. Most ponies would pay it no mind, but Boltsinger had learned over the years that the softest voices often need the most attention. He flew straight to the yellow-coated, pink-maned source, who was guiding a trio of tiny birds through the sky. "Hey, Fluttershy!"
"Oh, hello Boltsinger." She replied. She came to a hover, beckoning the birds to nestle into her mane. "How are you today?"
"Doing good, doing good." He said with a nod. "Could I, maybe, convince you to adjust your course? Spike's doing a… uh…"
From the air behind the stallion, a lion arm appeared to wrap around him, letting the rest of the chimera creature that was Discord grow out of it. "Spike is writing a little something for Big Mac, you see. And we need him to be as unimpeded as possible." He slithered through the air to his favorite mare, rubbing her cheek with his talon. "I'll let you know how it all went later, all right?"
Fluttershy leaned into the contact with a smile, lighting up as she remembered what her friends had been up to today. "Of course! I wouldn't want to get in the way of Big Mac's big proposal.”
Fluttershy's last word made Boltsinger's pupils shrink. He gave the mare a wide grin. "Thanks for understanding. Big Mac is super nervous about this whole thing, so the fewer hiccups, the better."
A soft giggle came out of the animal expert as she adjusted her course. "Okay, then. I'll see you all later." She started off in the new direction, waving a farewell to her friends as she went.
Boltsinger and Discord hung in the air, waving in return for as long as she was in view. When she met the horizon, the stallion's face soured. "So…" He slowly turned his head to look at Discord. "You told Fluttershy?"
"Of course I told Fluttershy!" He answered, giving his royal friend a smug yet matter-of-fact look. "I tell her everything!"
Boltsinger raised his hoof to bring a point with it, but found himself with a pause. After a few blinks and a quick breath, he found his words again. "That's adorable." His hoof once again came forward, and his point came, at last, to the forefront. "But that's beside the point! This whole proposal thing was supposed to be just us guys! If Fluttershy knows, then there's a very good chance that EVERYPONY could find out!"
"Oh, please, Fluttershy wouldn't spill the beans that easily!" He retorted, a smirk forming over his snaggletooth.
"Rarity." The Pegasus deadpanned. "I can see it already!" He swept his mane to the side, making it look like a blue version of Rarity's typical style and taking a stance reminiscent of the mare. "'Oh, Fluttershy, darling, you simply have to tell me what's on your mind!'" He made an exaggerated roll of his heads he spoke, stepping in the air up to Discord. His mane zapped back back to normal as he refocused his gaze. "And Fluttershy'll politely say no." He swept his mane back into the couturier's coiffure. "Oh, please tell me!" He stepped forward again. "Tell me." He began to trot in place. "Tell me tell me tellmetellmetellme!" His mane zapped into place once again as he raised a hoof to the chaos spirit, quirking his eyebrow like an apple farmer.
As the display came to its end, all of the smug washed away from Discord's face. "I hadn't thought of that…" He stroked his beard for a few moments, trying to think of a counter-argument. Finally, he flashed a smile. “I’ll go check on her! Make sure she hasn’t told anypony!” He snapped his claws, changing his view to that of Fluttershy, landing in front of Rarity. He couldn’t quite make out what they were saying, but it quickly became obvious that they’d struck up a conversation. Fluttershy was on her rump, almost ready to hide behind her mane as her mouth moved furiously, as if she were confessing. Discord hung his head, snapping his claws to bring himself back to Boltsinger. “It’s too late.”
"I thought so." Boltsinger concluded. "Now let's get back to it. Big Mac is counting on us."
“Yes, of course.” The Draconequus affirmed. The two of them returned to their vigil, standing firm while Spike and Sunburst finished their task.
Back on the ground, the happy picnic had finally run out of its tasty morsels, leaving Big Mac and Sugar Belle to sit still, gazing into one another’s eyes. They looked like reflections of each other’s faces, each with a smile that was a mixture of warmth and dopiness. “Big Mac… I love you.” The confectioner confessed. Her face flushed a shade of red as she leaned in closer. “No matter what happens, I want you to know that.”
Like is special somepony, Big McIntosh’s face became a wall of pure blushing. He brought his hoof roward her, just a slight shake as he neared the point of contact. “I… I dunno what to say… Except…” Before he could continue, there was a rustle in the bush behind them. He briefly looked over to it, spying a purple claw sticking out in a thumbs-up motion. “Sugar Belle…” He contemplated his next words to no end. If this was to be it, he wanted to make sure he had exactly the right thing to say… But like always, the words were caught in his throat. He backed away, turning to look at the sky. “Whaddaya think that cloud looks like?”
Sugar Belle giggled. She’d expected this much from Big Mac. Words always seemed to fail him, but she didn’t care. He was always able to communicate exactly what he needed to with as few words as possible. That’s what she loved about him. She humored her favorite stallion, following his lead to view the sky above them. In the air was a line of black smoke that looked elaborately woven into something akin to letters. “Oh! Is this skywriting?”
“Eeyup!”
“Awww! That’s wonderful!” She rose to her hooves to get a closer look, crinkling her nose and squinting her eyes in a way that made the red stallion swoon. “But… What exactly does it say?”
“Huh?” Big Mac looked more closely at the words in the sky… If he could call them words. Technically, he knew just what it was supposed to say. He couldn’t directly admit to it, though, as the writing was as confusing to him as it was to the Unicorn next to him. He breathed a heavy sigh as his hoof met his forehead. “I dunno…”
Sugar Belle turned to Big Mac, giving him a soft peck on the cheek. “Well, it sure looks nice!” She extended her foreleg to him, putting on her ever-sweet smile. “So, what do you want to do next?”
The farm stallion accepted the aid, standing tall before her. “Whatever you want.” He pulled her close, walking across the park with a quick glance back. His friends had all landed and gathered around Sunburst, who was scribbling yet more notes onto his parchment.
“Okay… Next time, don’t write in cursive.” The spectacled stallion stated, rolling up his parchment and stowing it away.
Ever since the picnic at the park, Big Mac couldn’t shake the feeling that he was being watched. Everywhere he looked, there was another pony hurrying to look away. He turned to Sugar Belle, sending her an increasingly nervous smile whenever she looked back. By the town hall, Applejack leaned against the wall with a knowing smile. Rarity stood outside her boutique, the very picture of giddiness. No matter the direction, he found somepony he knew staring at him. And with every pair of eyes that landed on him, a new bead of sweat rolled down his face. With a gentle pat on her back, he grabbed Sugar Belle’s attention. “Yes? What is it?” She asked.
“Hey, darlin’... I need ta go ‘n… Use the little colt’s room!” He fibbed, slowly beginning to back away. “D’ya mind waitin’ for me…” He scanned their surroundings frantically, pointing his hoof at the fountain in the center of the plaza. “... over there?”
“Of course.” She said, following the hoof with a laugh.
The work horse slowly stepped away, increasing his pace gradually until he was in a full gallop. He weaved through the streets, turning the world around him into a blur.
Until it wasn't.
The alley around him looked normal again, but he felt like he was still running. His hooves still touched a solid surface, so he wasn't in the air. So what was going on? He came to a stop, trying to figure it all ou--
CRASH!
Big Mac sat up from his new position against a wall, rubbing the back of his head. Where he had been running stood a treadmill that worked automatically, still going at a rapid pace despite his absence. “You know, you’re quite the difficult pony to catch. Or, at least, you would be if it wasn’t me catching you!” Chided the goat-face that appeared above him. The red stallion let out a sigh, getting up to continue his escape.
“And where do you think you’re going?” Asked a baritone from further ahead. Big Mac stopped in his tracks, squinting to see if there really was anything there. “The fountain is the other way.” This time it came from behind, prompting him to turn and face it. There stood Boltsinger with a face fraught with concern, Spike, Sunburst, and Discord gathered behind him as he stepped forward. “What’s wrong?”
Big McIntosh tried to look away, but the friendly faces in front of him tugged at his eyes. He wanted to keep running, go back to the farm, act like he never got this stupid plan, but… "I can't… do it…" He admitted, hanging his head dejectedly. "I love 'er, Bolt… So much that I can't think of anything ta say when I'm around her…"
"How's that any different from any other time?" Spike wondered, earning himself an hard elbow to the arm from the Pegasus next to him.
"I can't do what you do, Bolt." The Earth Pony continued, dropping his rump alongside some tears. "I can't pour my heart out like you… Can't make the big show of it like ya always do. I wanna tell 'er how I feel, though! How I wanna spend every day with 'er, helpin' 'er to make the sweet, sweet things that make her as happy as she makes me! But I can't do it like you do…"
"Then don't." Boltsinger simply stated.
"WHAT?!" Cried the remaining party members, each sending the bluenette a look of utter shock.
"Is that really so weird?" He replied. He refocused on the teary-eyed friend in front of him. "Yes, I do big elaborate schemes and performances. I like to do those. It's my thing." He stepped forward, putting his hoof over his heart. "And yes, I did a giant scavenger hunt I proposed. That's because Twilight likes scavenger hunts. It made sense for me." He put his hooves on the farmer's yoke, looking him in the eyes. "But that doesn't mean my thing will work for you. So with that, I have a question for you." He put his hoof on the big stallion's chin, making their mutual gaze that much more direct. "You ready?"
Big Mac sniffed up an encroaching sob, wiping his eyes and straightening his face. "Eeyup."
"What would you, Big McIntosh, do to propose to Sugar Belle?"
"Well… I--"
"Oh, no, don't tell us. Just go for it." Boltsinger advised. He got back on his hooves, stepping aside. "We're here for you, but this is your show." He pumped his hoof, showing a confident smile. "No go show that mare just how you feel!"
Big Mac jumped up, striking a confident pose with a brave "EEYUP!" He strutted forward, his face filled with determination for a ways. Until he turned to Boltsinger, pointing his hoof at his face. "Hey, um… Bolt, could you…?"
Boltsinger gave off a guffaw, stepping up to the Earth Pony. "Eeyup!" He brought his wings forward, delivering a hard slap to either side of the farmer's flushed face. All at once, the thoughts swirling around in Big Mac's brain stopped, drawn into a single point. He knew what to do, and how he should do it. He turned around confidently, moving forward at long last.
Sugar Belle had been waiting for several minutes, now. In that short time, the fountain had become surrounded by ponies, all looking at her curiously. She began to wonder what the occasion might be, but her main concern was with Big Mac. Poor bashful colt was likely to go half-crazy with all this attention. Maybe I should go check on him… She thought, slowly standing up. As her hoof rose to step forward, the crowd parted to reveal the very pony she was set to look for. She couldn’t explain how, but he looked different from how he did before, and more than just the relief of the little colt’s room. In fact, she hadn’t seen him this determined since after the misunderstanding last Hearts and Hooves Day. Every eye in the crowd watched the two of them as the stallion made his steady approach.
“Sugar Belle…” The stallion began, stopping in front of her with one hoof raised.
“Yes, Big Mac?” The mare answered, mirroring her special somepony’s gesture.
Big Mac breathed a preparatory sigh, bringing his hoof back to the ground. “There’s sumthin’ I gotta say to you, but…”
Sugar Belle sent the stallion an affectionate smile. “Let me guess. You can’t put it into words?”
Big Mac’s hoof quickly found its way to his neck as he sheepishly averted his eyes. “Eeyup.” His smile went from nervous to sincere while he looked back at her. Once again, his mind was a jumble. But this time, it wasn’t quite so confusing. His mouth opened to try and make sense of some of it, but found only a lump blocking his voice. “Aww, horseapples!” He finally exclaimed. He stood tall, looking down at her with fierce determination and reaching under his yoke. From there, he dropped to a single knee, bringing his hoof forward with a box sitting atop it. At the sight of that one gesture, the entire crowd leaned in with vested interest.
“Big Mac…” The Unicorn started, wide-eyed and jaw slack with her hoof rising up to her face. “Are you… Are you asking me to marry you?!”
The farm stallion gave her a distinct nod, opening the box to reveal a ring with an apple-shaped ruby in the center, with an emerald set above to look like a leaf and more emeralds lining the band. “Eeyup.”
“Oh my goodness, this is wonderful!” She declared, jumping back. She leaped forward, going into a prance around him. “We’ll be together every day, and we can work the farm together, and bake sweets together, and we can have--” Her face flashed red at the last thought, stopping her mid-jump to land in front of him once more. “I mean… Yes, of course I’ll marry you!” As the crowd’s cheers began, she dove into the work horse, wrapping her forelegs around him so tight that she nearly reminded him of Pinkie Pie and planting a kiss on his lips.
“Well that’s a sweet sentiment.” Discord stated from a nearby rooftop. He had a hint of his usual snark in his voice as he crossed his arms.. “But why even bother to go that far? Chaining himself to somepony else for the rest of their lives?”
“What? You don’t like the idea of Big Mac tying the knot?” asked the orange Pegasus next to him.
“I just don’t see the point, is all.” The Draconequus admitted with an unassuming shrug. “I’m glad that Big Mac is happy, but why do you ponies choose to weigh yourself down with all this song and dance when you can shine just as brightly without it?”
“I suppose it’s a matter of choice.” Boltsinger replied, smiling down at his newly-engaged friend. “They’ve decided to face all of the challenges of life together from this point on. It honestly does make a lot of things easier, even if it does mean that the workload gets a little more intense.” He looked fondly at his pendant, showing off a nostalgic smile. “But for the right pony, it’s totally worth it.”
Discord sent the stallion a smirk, letting his gaze drift to a certain yellow mare in the crowd. “Well, I suppose you are the one with experience in the matter.”
Boltsinger chuckled, laying on the roof with his forelegs crossed. “Eeyup!”